Oh Summer, Love
by Cardea Ceres
Summary: "It's a date" Set the summer after "The Job." Jim and Pam fall in love during a summer in Scranton, PA. What the cameras didn't capture.
1. Take Me With You I Start to Miss You

**Author's Note:** Hey everyone, welcome to my little story! This will follow Jim and Pam's first few months of dating starting from "The Job", or the season 3 finale to roughly the Season 4 premiere. It'll follow them following in love and all that fluffy goodness. I apologize if there's any errors. This is my first story about The Office so please be gentle in reviewing. Quick note, if _her/she_ is italicized in Pam's point of view she's talking about Karen. If it's in Jim's point of view he's talking about Pam.

Thanks for taking the time to read and leave a review!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own anything related to The Office in the slightest. It all belongs to NBC and their respective parties. Besides I already have my own Jim anyway :)

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><p><strong>Oh Summer, Love<strong>  
><strong>By:<strong> Cardea Ceres

**Summary:** "It's a date" Set the summer after "The Job." Jim and Pam fall in love during a summer in Scranton, PA. What the cameras didn't capture.

_"Never, ever, ever give up." – Michael Scott, "Booze Cruise"_

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><p><strong>Chapter One: The Job<strong>

She lies in her bed that night and wonders what he is up to in the great city. She wonders specifically what he is doing with _her_. Is he laughing with _her_? Is he looking into _her_ eyes like he does with hers? Are they together in a bed in some hotel? Tossing and turning she eventually turns on the light, admitting that there's no use staying in the bed. She decides something to drink might help and upon entering the kitchen grabs a bottle of water from the refrigerator. Sighing she sips the water while looking at the clock in the kitchen: 4:35 am. Only another two hours until the drive over to the office, she figures out. Her mind goes a mile a minute going between being jealous of _her_, wanting to crumble because he was with _her_, and trying to rationalize it all so that the sting didn't hurt so much. There was no reason to attempt anymore sleep so she walks over to a corner of her kitchen that she hasn't been near in a while. She picks up a white plastic bag from a crafts store, one she had gotten when she moved into her own apartment, and unsurprisingly the arts supplies are still there: some brushes, boxes of colored pencils, and some paint. There's an easel resting against the wall as well. It was an impulsive buy with the thinking that since she was moving into a new place by herself for the first time, and putting Roy behind her, that she should start doing more of what she loved. She meant to paint more but life had gotten in the way. Now at four thirty-five in the morning it seemed as good a time as ever for life to stop getting in the way.

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><p>He wakes up at the sound of the alarm clock at six and instantly takes aim at the clock to turn the thing off. Opening his eyes, he yawns and wants to stay asleep knowing how important the day will be. His stomach is tied up in knots with the know that in the next few hours could be a game changer. If he got the job he'd have more money than he'd know what to do with but would have to uproot from all that he knew.<p>

He looks over at her but finds that she isn't awake yet. This doesn't surprise him because it seems she can sleep through almost anything. She is a fun girl he admits to himself. She's not terrible; in fact, he knows that any guy would think he was crazy that he didn't love her. She's attractive, funny, driven, and caring. Still she never makes his heart beat a little faster or makes his stomach explode with butterflies. He always falls asleep with his arm around her because she likes it, but whenever he wakes up he's as far as he can be on the bed away from her. She is enough to make him forget from time to time about a certain receptionist and it kills him to know that she looks at him the exact way he looks at reception.

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><p>Setting up the easel, she carefully sets up her painting supplies. It's been a while since she's had to do this, but it's perfect like she has never stopped painting. With one stroke of the brush her troubles become a little smaller. Another stroke and another and her troubles decrease in size a little by little. Soon she is caught up in a world of paint and creation, not in a world wondering what he is doing.<p>

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><p>He has breakfast with her at a corner café she points out to him. She knows a lot about the city he notices, but more so than just a casual traveler to the city. There's a love in her eyes for the city that he can't seem to feel. Could he possibly feel affection towards Scranton? The one place he's said over and over to the cameras that he would never spend his life in? Couldn't be.<p>

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><p>There is something to look forward to at work, for once, besides Jim she admits. Dwight is now in charge and that alone breeds new possibilities for him to be messed with. After a moment at her desk he calls her into what is now his office. He comes close to complimenting her but instead insults her about the beach. He then goes on to explain his office politics, ending with a request that she be secret assistant regional manager, or well secret assistant to regional manager in Dwight's mind. Her excitement level goes through the roof at his request and doesn't blink an eye before saying absolutely she would. This would make today awesome. It's only when she later reveals to the camera her excitement over the meetings Dwight will now require everyone to attend to that a small wave of pain hits her. She wishes Jim were there to help her scheme.<p>

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><p>He sees Jan getting epically fired from the company and he's left speechless. He wishes the dictionary had words for what he has just witnessed. It's then that he wants <em>her<em> there. There's a weird feeling when he turns his head over and it isn't _her_ sitting next to him with a big smile on her face and ready with a comment.

Looking at his watch for what seems like the hundredth time he realizes he's going to be here a while. He tells her that she can go on and do something other than waiting with him if she wants. She, almost excitedly, admits that her friends are meeting downtown for lunch and she can now go with them. It hurts him that she's excited about leaving him there. _She _wouldn't have left, he knows, _she_ would've stayed with him the whole time and made sure that he wasn't nervous. As if to put salt on the wound he hears the phone at reception go off. Instead of the usual name he expects it is Grace. It makes him feel a little hollow inside.

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><p>Michael comes back announcing to the office that he's back <em>for good<em>. She doesn't feel any surprise at this declaration waits until there's a quiet moment to ask if she got the job. Her question doesn't get an answer.

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><p>He's in the interview with David Wallace and he knows most likely he'll get the job. He's gone from the ninth best salesman in the company to third since the transfer, an impressive feat, but completely planned out. He has no intention of being number one and definitely not number two. The fact of Dwight being number one was a more entertaining image with his numerous phone numbers for clients to reach him by and power hungry streak. Dwight was much more committed to the company than he would ever be. Being number two would just mean he would be on Dwight's radar of destruction of the competition and being sabotaged by some outlandish method wasn't on his to-do list. Third was the place to be.<p>

He knows his clients rate him highly and David obviously has a soft spot for him. He knows his record is spotless and he's young, a good investment for a company. They would get many years of work out of him and his image would be good for the company when they did a press release. When he had walked into the corporate office he was ready to take the job and start over completely. Scranton would become a distant memory that he would look fondly on years from now as per the plan he set up so many years ago: get a job for the moment and then find a real job that would take him somewhere. She had mentioned she would move up with him if he got the job and he figured it would be perfect. On paper he had everything according to everyone, why give it up? She wasn't_ her_ but she was close enough and she was a safe bet. On the other hand _she_ had rejected him and that was the end of it. He would be making more money than he could ever imagine and he'd be in corporate New York City, something most people would kill for. His parents would be proud and he would just have to learn how to create a new life.

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><p>She looks into the camera and knows she has to put on a brave face. They ask her what the future holds and she honestly doesn't know. She knows she had fun with Dwight. She tries to convince herself that he is just too similar for them to work out and tries to lighten the question with a joke, which she then proceeds to make incredibly awkward.<p>

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><p>Yet when he sees the gold Office Olympics medal Pam had attached to a note, within his file, telling him to remember them at the office, he knows his plan is ruined. Shot to hell. David mentions they want someone in for the long haul and he can only think about how he wants <em>her<em> for the long haul. David asks where he sees himself in ten years and the answer is obvious. He wants _her_ as his wife, the mother of his children, the person he gets to wake up to everyday. That was the plan he had always had since the day he met her after all. Despite everything that has happened he still feels just as strongly about her now as the day they first met. His mind goes to the day at the beach where she had all but outright confessed her love for him. She had told him that Roy was a stupid mistake and that she missed him. It was everything he had wanted to hear since the Casino Night, but instead of running into her arms he had hugged her while she soaked her charred feet in the water and turned her down. What an idiot he was. He needed to go to Scranton and fix everything, _now_. He was going to make it happen because the girl of his dreams was finally available and ready to take a chance. He tells David that he's sorry but he withdraws himself from consideration. David is taken aback and beings to ask why but then it hits him and he smiles,

"Pam?"

"She's the one." He answers to David. David understands, shakes his hand, and wishes him luck. Smiling like an idiot he realizes he needs to find Karen. He knows he'll look like a jerk breaking up with her, but he knows she'll understand one day. They were just enough for each other, not soul mates. Rushing down the steps outside the corporate office he calls Karen and asks where she is. He practically runs to the fountain she describes a couple streets over. She waves at him and asks him how his interview went. He meets her eyes with a serious look and her smile turns to a frown. He's at a loss to tell Karen that she's an amazing girl but he has to go to Scranton. It has become his home against his will and his deepest wishes. Home had become wherever Pam was. Karen tries to make the situation by jokingly asking if he didn't get the job, but isn't prepared for when he says he withdrew his name from consideration. It's in that moment she realizes why he made that choice. She explodes in anger and asks him if it's about _Scranton_, unable to say her name. The only thing he can do is nod because he knows he can't verbally explain himself right now. Her eyes instantly fill with tears and the area becomes an echoing ground for her asking why he even bothered with her and led her on all this time. He takes all this like a solider because he knows he deserves it. He did do her wrong.

He drives like a madman to Scranton. He checks the clock every two seconds to make sure he'll get to the office before she leaves work. He's sure he is breaking every traffic law and prays that any cop on the road won't check his speed. After what seemed like forever he pulls into the familiar parking lot and presses the elevator up button.

His heart is pounding as he stands in the elevator which is going at a snail's pace, he swears. Finally it reaches the floor he wants and he can feel the sweat collecting on his brow. He reminds himself that he's asked out plenty of girls before, but he also reminds himself that this was the most important girl he would ever ask out in his life. No one even looks up at him when he enters the office and he doesn't even notice this rare feat because he can only see Pam being interviewed in the conference room. He takes a deep breath and opens the door.

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><p>She knows now that Jim most likely got the job. She isn't stupid. She knows he's everything coroporate wants and she doesn't blame them in the slightest. He probably was out celebrating at this moment with <em>her<em>. That was the only plus she could think of in this situation, that she wouldn't have to see _her_ again. At the same time she comes to terms that she might never see him again trying to believe things would be okay and they'd be just friends. Once in a while they would call each other when a random thing popped up that reminded one of the other. Christmas cards would be exchanged but nothing more. Continuing she tries to convince herself they just never got the timing right and that she will be okay. She would not go home today and cry until her eyes could give any more tears.

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><p>Popping his head in, he says<p>

"Pam," he says interrupting the interview and then adds to the camera crew, "Sorry, ah, are you free for dinner tonight?" he ends the sentence directing it to Pam.

"Yes." She says immediately. It brings an instant grin to his face.

"Alright then it's a date."

Suddenly it is as if every Christmas morning in her entire life came at her in that moment. The reality of what has just happened hits her and it's impossible to hide the grin from the camera. Before she can stop them there's tears in her eyes, but they're the good kind. The kind people only attain when what they achieve something that seems like a near impossibility.

"I'm sorry what was the question?"


	2. Drag Me Head First, Fearless

**Author's Note:** Hey everyone! Thanks for sticking with the story. Thank you especially for the kind reviews, favorite story adds, etc for a person whose never done Fanfiction before it's very encouraging. This takes place directly after The Job and it's from Pam's point of view getting ready for the date. I think she deserves a Cinderella moment, don't you? I can't lie it's much more fun to write Pam's point of view. Next chapter is the date itself. Hopefully it'll be up within the next couple of weeks!

As always, my apologizes if there's any errors. Thank you for reading and leave a review if you feel inclined to do so!

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><p><strong>Responses to the Reviewers:<strong>

**Tlc27:** Thank you for pointing out that error! What a fail on my part. I think I wrote that because I was watching Michael's final Dundies when I originally wrote this. It's fixed now!

**whoome:** Yes I do! I completely understand what you're saying though, Jim and Mr. Darcy especially are hard to live up to. It was only when I had stopped looking for love that I found him. I know the saying is corny, "when you least expect it," but it's very true!

And thank you to everyone who reviewed!

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><p><strong><span>Disclaimer:<span>** I don't own anything even remotely related to The Office. It all belongs to NBC and any other respective owners. Besides I have my own Jim :)

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><p><strong>Chapter Two: Cinderella<br>**

_Michael: ...And I'm looking for songs that work on two levels._  
><em>Jim: What are the two levels?<em>  
><em>Michael: The two levels being, welcome to Scranton and I love you.<em> - Season 4, "Goodbye Toby"

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><p>She's nervous as she tears apart her closet. Having not been on a first date in years, she doesn't know the required attire. In high school she'd worn sweatshirts and old shirts covered with paint. Usually she would just run from art class or helping to paint the sets for the latest school play into the waiting car outside in the school parking lot. Roy seemed to have liked that just fine. Well except when she worked with charcoal then Roy would complain she was dirtying his ''baby," or his car. Once the job at Dunder Mifflin started she just wore whatever work clothes she had on to any time spent with Roy. There was never a real need after the first few dates, at least it seemed to Roy, to dress to impress.<p>

_Roy_. She doesn't want to wear anything she wore for him for Jim. Even the thought of doing that puts a sour taste in her mouth. They'd broken up amicably and honestly she wants the best for him because he isn't a bad guy. They just were two people trying to make a dead end relationship work and that's absolutely a recipe for disastrous things to be said and done. She wants to put him behind her and become a better Pam. It's time to put what she's been thinking for the past year, that she wants to be the full potential Pam, into practice. She feels the blush of a love beginning and wants to dress appropriately. While her wardrobe is limited she figures she must have something that would work.

Out flies the pastel collared shirts and soon the matching sweaters fly out with them. She has to chuckle at the inner Kelly voice in her head saying _"You can't wear that on a first date! You want to look hot, right?"_ She puts aside the slacks in her closet along with the cargoes and then the neutral color skirts and finally finds her only pair of jeans that were bought years ago. Taking a look at the number of the size she knows that those are out too. All of her wardrobe is thrown around her room but to no avail. If she were competing in the best office apparel pageant she knows she would win hands down.

Then it comes to her, the box of clothes she had ordered online! Reaching her arm under her bed she feels the corner of the box. Eureka! Pulling open the flaps there lies the few articles of clothing that Kelly had to spend a good thirty minutes to convince her that it was not useless spending but _an investment in yourself_! There is the top she had worn in the office when the box arrived and she's still struck by how different it is compared to her regular wardrobe. It is a pretty top, but the uncomfortable feeling she had gotten when she wore it in the office had caused her to not wear it since. The neck line is a little low for a first date but she puts the shirt on a hanger in her closet, making sure she'll wear it again in the near future. She realizes she has never taken a closer look as to what she else she had bought. A floral skirt that had movement and volume was next to be put on a hanger. It came to her then that the skirt matched the shirt, just as Kelly promised it would. Finally the last item is a charm bracelet. It's nothing particularly fancy, but she put together the charms herself on the website. There's an art charm, a papeer charm to symbolize Dunder Mifflin, a phone charm for being a receptionist, a fake aquamarine charm for her birth month, and then a heart for obvious reasons. It's not much but it can always be added to she figures. There's a sense of relief she feels in knowing that at least the jewelry for the date is decided.

Checking the clock she realizes she doesn't have much time until Jim is going to be on her doorstep. There's still her hair to figure out and what to wear, in fact in the past hour she's accomplished nothing but make a mess out of her room. A feeling of horrifying panic overcomes her and she sinks into the carpet. Calling her sister she begins to explain that Jim has asked her out on a date. After a few minutes of Penny screaming "FINALLY!" and "OH MY GOD!" over the line a hundred times she calms down as she hears how upset her sister is. She explains how she has nothing special to wear.

"You have a dress," Penny informs her once she has calmed down. "It's in the back of the closet behind your coats." She does notice she hadn't checked behind the coats but simply assumed that's all there were, coats. She asks her sister how this could be possible and her sister continues, "I helped you move into that apartment." This was true. Penny had helped her unpack her things into the new apartment when she called off the wedding. She figures to give her sister's suggestion a shot. Pushing the coats back she spots the black dress she had worn to Phyllis' wedding. That stupid wedding, she remembers, well technically it was _her_ stupid wedding.

"Not the black dress," she sister points out, "I'm talking about the red dress." Pushing aside the rest of the hangers there is a single black garment bag. She feels surprise at her sister's correct assumption. The dress is there even though she's pretty certain that it shouldn't be. It was suppose to have been worn at the wedding of a high school friend but it was called off at the last minute leaving her out a couple hundred dollars on the dress. She feels sure that she had dropped it off at the local Goodwill along with the blue dress. The day after the casino night she had taken that blue dress and donated it so she would never have a clear reminder as to what she did. As for the other dress, she figured what good would it do for it to be in her closet? A receptionist in Scranton Pennsylvania had no social events to speak of.

"It's a dress for a wedding though," she questions, "it's probably too formal."

"The theme was a day in the garden, remember? It can't be that formal." Her sister points out, "At least look at the dress." She hesitates, but she has no other options so she finds herself dragging down the zipper while holding her breath. Red fabrics peeks out under the space left by the unzipping. Pushing away the garment bag she's stunned by what she sees. It certainly didn't look like that when she bought it. It's gorgeous. She would've remembered something so pretty, or at least someone's reaction to it but there is no such thing in her memory. Her sister asks if she is alright because the silence is starting to make her worry. She comes to her senses and finds the voice to say it's perfect. Some laughter comes over the line from her sister and she tells her to have fun that night and then proceeds to hang up.

Before she knows it she feels tears fill up her eyes because this moment is a real, honest to God, fairy godmother moment. She never felt like she was the kind of person who would experience one. It was like the universe was cheering her on, _go on and be the best Pammy you can be_.

Slipping on the dress, she's surprised to find it fits. The red isn't a bright one, but a deep red. The dress material makes it seem almost a shiny like color. It reminds her an attractive lipstick color that was too bold for her to try. The two thick straps came together to make a tasteful v-neck. The bodice is a bit more fitted than she's used to and it flares out into a skirt that makes her want to twirl around. It is most certainly perfect.

Pulling out the clip in the back of her hair she draws a brush through her hair several times. Hair styling is something she has no experience with so the only difference she can make for tonight is to not have the front part up like she always does at the office. In the mirror something catches her eye.

In her bathroom there's a bag from the department store she had bought ages ago. She hadn't been kidding about having a whole new Pammy, and like with the art supplies she had bought the make up in an impulse even though it was way out of her budget. Originally she had gone to return a few wedding items mostly wedding presents from out of state relatives. They hadn't wanted them back so she would return them and send the cash back. One purchase though was a set of make up that she had planned to wear for the wedding. She had figured it was worth a shot to see if she could return it as the plastic wrapping wasn't broken. At first the bright lights of the make up counter had pained her since they brought back the memory of her original purchase. The excitement of telling the consultant that she was shopping for wedding make up and carefully going over each and every color seemed like a lifetime ago, as if those memories belonged to a different person. Yet she had a goal to do and hopefully the process would be painless. When she had inquired about the return policy of unopened make up they offered instead of a refund that they could go over what she had originally purchased first. If any of the items weren't up to her satisfaction then she could return whichever ones she wanted for another item of equal or lesser value. At first she declined, where would she wear fancy make up? She then remembered what her sister had said a few days earlier, pleading with her to do something for herself for once in her life. Eventually she caved into the smooth talking of the saleswoman and they went back over the purchases. She had switched out a few things, she even bought some new items, but in the end had never worn them since she had gotten back together with Roy shortly after.

Picking up the paper attached to the bag which carefully explains the order each product is suppose to go in, she begins to apply the various powers, liquids, and creams pretending it's like putting paint on a canvas. Sometime later, when all the bottles and containers are back in the fancy bag, she looks at the finished product. The person in the mirror looks like her, but it's a version of herself she hadn't seen since maybe senior prom. It's an unfamiliar face but a welcome one at the same time.

_I'm pretty_ she thinks.

Hearing the gravel crunching in the parking lot and she peeks out to see Jim's car. Then the sounds of the steps going up one floor, then the second, third, and finally the fourth come to her ears and she knows it's mere seconds until the knock on her door. Peeking through the eye-hole she sees it is in fact really him. The past few hours had actually happened. Jim Halpert had driven away from New York and the biggest opportunity of his career to take her out to dinner. After so many years this was happening.

Unlocking the door she takes a deep breath, and another quick look at herself in the mirror. She thinks she looks nice, but hopes Jim likes how she likes too. Turning the knob she knows there's no turning back now.

One look at him and she knows she chose the right attire. His eyes are a bit wider, almost in shock, and his lips are slightly parted as if they had a planned sentence to say but were interrupted. She feels a bit awkward, never having a man look at her that way. She only knows that look on men looking at her friends, her sister, or maybe a random woman on the street, never her though. Not even Roy had ever had that look in his eyes when he had looked at her.

"You look so beautiful," he says and it's so honest that she imagines her face is probably lit up like a Christmas tree. He regains his senses within a few seconds and a goofy grin replaces the previous surprise. Holding out a bouquet of daisies she accepts them and quickly lets him inside while she grabs a vase of water to put the flowers in. She can't meet his eyes while he's inside her apartment. It feels so intimate since he has never been in a space where's lived before. She feels relief when she finds him not looking at her, but at the painting she had started earlier that morning. Although she had gotten a nice start on it she knows it's no where near finished, thank God. While she knows what she was painting she doesn't want Jim to know. Unfortunately when she looks at his eyes it's clear he knows exactly what she was painting. The dim lighting of a parking lot, the Dunder Mufflin building in the background, and the beginnings of a girl in a blue dress stuck to the spot she stood at with complicated feelings rolling against each other. His eyes are sad but now with more understanding of the situation he had put her in back then. She admits that she started the painting that morning when she felt like she was going to lose him forever. How she wondered if she had listened to her heart that night what would've happened and what would've been different. He turns to face her and just simply hugs her tightly to him in response. It's all she needs to hear. She knows that he isn't leaving for anything now. Wiping away the mist in her eyes when they pull apart, he suggests that they head out. She agrees and he starts to walk out in front of her. When she turns off the light it just leaves him illuminated by the porch light. She wants to remember this moment forever she realizes. They begin to walk down the stairs and he takes hold of her hand.

A smile tugs at her lips, she's glad that it's Jim who sees her in this dress and not Roy.


	3. Lace Up Your Shoes, Here's How We Do

**Author's Note:** Hey everyone welcome back to the story. I'm planning events to explore such as them avoiding Kevin being onto them, Pam's change of hairstyle/clothes, and Jim buying the engagement ring all of which are mentioned but never shown. If you got any specific things you'd like to see explored leave it in a review.

Speaking of reviews, thank you for the reviews, story alerts, and favorite story adds! Not to mention almost 1,000 hits! Wow! I truly appreciate it! As always if there are any errors, my apologies.

I'm sorry for the late update. Long story short: I've been moving around like crazy and am finally back home. I hope to have the next chapter up between now and early July. I think you guys will hear from Kevin in that one so be on the lookout!

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I don't own anything even remotely related to The Office, NBC owns it all and all of its respective companies. If I did Dwight and Angela would be together again. Besides I have my own Jim anyway :)

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><p><em>"Let me describe the perfect date: I take her out to a nice dinner. She looks amazing. Some guy tries to hit on her now he wants to fight- so I grab him- I throw him into the jukebox! Then the other ninja's got a knife, he comes at me, we grapple, I turn his knife on him. Blood on the dance floor. She's scared now. I take her home. I'm holding her in my arms. I reach in for a kiss... I hear something in the leaves, I flip her around, she gets a poison arrow right in her back. She was in on it the whole time... but I knew." – Dwight Shrute, "Hot Girl" (Deleted Scene)<em>

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><p>In his spark of the moment realization to ask Pam out he hadn't planned out exactly where to have dinner. There really wasn't much of a plan in general to be honest. Most of his brain was just concentrated on getting to Pam before the office closed and he hadn't thought much further than that. Her not being at reception throws him off for about one second before he instinctively knows to head over to the conference room.<p>

Walking out of the conference room with Pam's yes repeating in his head he finally closes the door and fights to keep a smile from bursting onto his lips. He doesn't want to answer the nosy questions that would come with it. Everyone in the office is very aware that gossip travels as fast as a high school if not faster.

Michael notices Jim is back and peeks his head out of his office to look at him. When Jim looks at him, Michael hides himself until Jim starts to looks away and Michael once again pops his head out. Jim waits a moment and just when Michael is sure that Jim will look at him again, he doesn't.

"Jim," he whispers and then Jim looks at him.

"Yeah," he whispers back and Michael continues,

"You're supposed to look at me so I can disappear and you go 'Why isn't Michael there? I could've sworn I just saw him!' Then it turns out I actually have been here the whole time. It's hilarious." He says, truly believing his well thought out statement with a big grin. Jim doesn't even come back with a sarcastic comment like normal instead he just smiles although not because of Michael's joke. He can't help it anymore. "See I knew it! I told you it's hilarious!" Jim nods his head even though he doesn't know what Michael is saying. "So I'm guessing you didn't get the job."

"No." he answers and Michael puts his arms out for a hug.

"Come here Jimbo! I know you're hurting. It's okay." Jim ducks out of the attempted hug and quickly walks towards the door. By this point most of the office is looking at the display, mostly because Michael says the previous sentence with a loud voice full of choked concern. "He didn't get the job." Michael explains. "Those jerks! But you know what Jim we don't need them." It surprises Jim to find some of the office disappointed at this news as if they had been rooting for him to get it. It doesn't surprise him though when Creed suddenly swears, pulls something out of his desk, and runs out the door nearly knocking him over. After giving a face to the camera in response he smiles to reassure the disappointed faces.

"Actually it's okay," Jim admits. Pam walks out of the conference room from her interview and into the ongoing scene.

"Pam!" Michael exclaims, "Did you know that Jim _will be back_ with me?" he asks with an emphasis on the will be back, milking the joke for whatever is left of it.

"Oh really?" It seems the office is waiting for her response to this information. They aren't blind after all, they have always known since day one that they should get it over with and date. The beach scene certainly looked promising, but it appears to them that they're in for another eternity of will they, won't they. They notice nothing to hint at any shift in their relationship and they continue on with their work.

None of that registers to Pam because she realizes in that moment that he gave up the job for her and it hits her like a ton of bricks. Somehow she keeps her cool because it's clear the office hasn't heard Jim asking her out. "Well I'm sorry you didn't get the job." She offers and he nods.

"Listen Michael, I have to go but I'll be here tomorrow as usual." Michael consents and then proceeds to call Angela, Pam, Phyllis, and Kelly into the conference room for what promises to be another pointless meeting of the party planning committee, most likely a party for Jim and himself.

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><p>Getting back to his apartment in record time Jim pulls his overnight bag over his shoulder. The place still has the feel of being new which irks him a little. When Mark had told him about the job opportunity he was offered in North Carolina back last year he supported him all the way. Mark was a good friend in all honesty. When Jim had been offered the Stamford job he never expected to ever come back to Scranton, but when he showed up after the branch closing Mark let him move back in no questions asked. After all the promotions he had been passed up for it was great to see Mark finally getting to where he wanted to be professionally. It only sucked a month after Mark left when Jim realized that without Mark he couldn't continue to rent the house. He has tried a couple different roommates but in the end decided to just get an apartment. It was a renovated apartment complex with new everything which did appeal to him, but it had not yet acquired that lived in feel that he craved. Maybe Pam could help with that he considers and smiles. Glancing at the clock he realizes he doesn't have a whole lot of time left.<p>

He considers calling his brothers for some advice as to where to take Pam, but then realizes that telling his brothers about asking out Pam was just like telling Michael, dangerous and only advised from a distance. Calling his sister instead he only gets her voicemail and he goes onto Plan C. Flipping through the phone book he looks up local restaurants that won't be too overcrowded. Nothing in Scranton is particularly fancy unfortunately, but there has to be some place that isn't a chain restaurant or a bar. Eventually he thinks of an Italian place that he vaguely remembers Oscar raving about last year in the break room and quickly looks it up on the internet. The menu seems to have the usual fanfare so he calls to make a reservation. Oscar usually has pretty good taste in stuff so he figures it's okay to trust his judgment on this one.

His stomach growling breaks his train of thought. He knows that he shouldn't spoil his dinner by eating a snack before getting ready, but driving to Scranton from New York without any lunch starts to catch up to him. Settling on a grilled cheese he hopes that by watching some of the updated sports stats he'll quiet the butterflies fluttering in his stomach. Who knew Jim Halpert could still get butterflies over a girl? Even though he had been starving only an hour ago the butterflies seem to have taken over his stomach because he only eats about half of the sandwich. Wrapping it up for later he figures he should get ready and get some of the nervous energy out of his system.

Unfortunately being a guy means that his getting ready consists of a quick change of shirt and jacket. After changing into jeans, brushing his hair, and brushing his teeth there isn't much left for him to do. He bounces around his apartment until he can't take it anymore and finds his hands grabbing his car keys. Before he knows what he's doing he pulls up to a flower shop and goes in to decide what flowers Pam would most likely be fond of.

After what seems like forever he pulls into an empty parking space in the apartment complex. An odd mix of emotions hits him, as if he is at the newest roller coaster at an amusement park. Like he's in line but has suddenly moved up to the next group to get onto the ride. There's a sense of intense excitement and uneasiness as to what to expect. Climbing the stairs he reaches her door, daises in hand. He waits after knocking on the door and tries to think about what he'll say to her. There was no office to make fun of but instead it was just them and a sense of vulnerability washes over him.

When the door knob turns he is back on the roller coaster being dragged up the highest hill, waiting for the pause at the top. Taking a look at her, he experiences that pause right before the thrill down begins. He's sure he had something planned to say, something smooth and witty, but his tongue won't move. It's an odd sensation for him because he always knows what to say. Every time a camera man pans to him he has a joke ready. Every time a girl looked his way he knew what ice breaker to say. This time instead his mouth is stuck with his jaw slightly hanging open.

"You look so beautiful," he is able to say somehow finally and it's one of the truest things he has ever said. A smile to match hers appears on his face and he holds out the daises for her to take. He follows her lead inside her apartment and quickly takes a look around. It's a little messy inside which doesn't surprise him, but the place feels homely. While Pam is trying to find a vase he looks at the pictures up on her wall. Some of them are old family photos; some are photos she has taken with friends and he instantly wants to know so much more about her life. _There's plenty of time for that later,_ he remembers, _focus on the moment_.

An easel catches his eye though and he's intrigued. To his knowledge Pam hadn't really taken art back up and he wonders what her first subject is. At first he isn't sure what the painting is because it's obviously not finished. But the longer he looks at it, the quicker he realizes he has seen that blue dress before. Vivid images of casino night flash through his head and he knows what the painting is of now. Her eyes are full of horror at his realization, but she explains she started the painting that morning when she felt like she was going to lose him forever. How she wondered if she had listened to her heart that night what would've happened and what would've been different. The only thing he can do is hug her tightly to him because he knows his voice can't convey properly what he wants to say. He would never leave her.

When he is done wiping away the tears in her eyes he suggests they head out. After she turns off the lights inside her apartment he reaches to take her hand and the anticipation of waiting for the sudden roller coaster drop is over. It's now the stomach dropping, screaming your heart out of exhilaration, speeding down the roller coaster hill surprise. Although very scary at first, as all roller coasters are, he feels the terror get washed away by the endorphins caused by her smile.

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><p>He's tempted to make it look like he's driving to Chili's, but thinks better of it. He really can't mess up this date. Maybe for date two or three he muses for a joke and he stores this information for later use. Everything seems to be going pretty well all things considered until they hit a red light and a building that reaches just the edges of Pam's vision makes her turn her head and drop their ongoing conversation. He questions her and she responds simply,<p>

"It's a pottery painting place. It's supposed to be pretty nice." She tries to keep her voice from giving her away but he knows her better than that. Going to that pottery place is another small thing in her life that should've been easily fulfilled, but wasn't. He knows she doesn't want to make it a big deal because she's had to deal with disappointment before and it doesn't faze her anymore. It horrifies him that she expects disappointment over what she wants. Dropping the subject because his mind is already turning out ideas of how to change that, he follows the GPS directions until they end up at the Italian restaurant. Pam doesn't show any recognition of the place so Jim is still at square one about if he's made the right decision. Walking up to the entrance he mentions that it's Italian and that he had heard Oscar's approval of the place. She seems satisfied with this and agrees with him that Oscar's taste could usually be trusted.

After being seated they scan the menu and a silence falls on them until Pam gets a glance at another table. She blinks several times to make sure what she is seeing is real. Angela and Dwight? Happy in public? Could it be true? Looking over their food, a huge slab of some unidentifiable meat on his place and a small pecking plate of either salad or fruit on hers, she knows her suspicions are confirmed. Thankfully their table is at an angle where Pam is able to see them but not Jim.

"Oh my god." She says before she can control herself and a little too loudly at that. A couple people start to look at her from their tables. Her face starts to blush as she hides her face into her menu. Jim bursts out laughing and just as she is about to elaborate she stops herself. _Jim doesn't know about Angela and Dwight_ she remembers. What a shame she realizes but it isn't her place to tell him about the couple. Quickly looking at another table's portions she instead says, "The portions here are huge! That spaghetti could be my lunch for two weeks."

He seems to buy the statement and with a laugh suggests they split something. After deciding on what pasta they want and giving the waiter the food and wine order the conversations falls into an awkward silence.

"I guess we can't tell each other about ourselves." Jim observes. It is a bit of a quandary they notice. They know almost everything about each other after working so long together. What left is there to talk about on a first date?

"Yeah we kind of blew that one." she pauses, "Tell me about today, about New York." So he does except not just New York but about the past couple of days. He explains why he initially rejected her at the beach and he talks about being in New York with Karen. It hurts her to imagine Jim and Karen wandering around the busy city but she needs to hear it. She wants to know what made Jim change his mind. The past few years have been a comedy of errors after all. Patiently she attentively listens until he gets to the interview itself.

"I was sitting with David and while he asked me a question I found the Office Olympics medal." she blushes remembering how she acted like a ninja to staple it onto a memo note and get it into Jim's bag without him noticing. "And I just knew."

"Knew what?" she asks.

"I knew that I needed to get to you as fast as possible. I wasn't going to waste anymore time being away from you." She suddenly finds herself unable to breathe and wonders how it is that he can always say the perfect things at the right moment. It was an incredible ability, there was no denying that, and one she wishes she had. To him though it was perfectly fine that she didn't always have a perfect verbal response because her face always said all he needed to hear.

They talk about the past year. She explains what happened with Roy and Jim explains why he left Scranton in better detail. They talk about the office and what Jim has missed about them. Before they know it the check comes and it's time to go.

He realizes he needs to run back to the table to get his jacket when they reach the front of the restaurant. _Smooth move Halpert_ he thinks and after telling Pam to stay where she is for one second turns around. Running back to the table he happens to look in the right direction and catches sight of Angela and Dwight. He smiles as he watches Dwight kiss Angela's hand. _If only Pam knew_ he thinks, remembering that he would never tell anyone about the couple as his thank you for Dwight saving his life. Chuckling he grabs his jacket and makes his way back to Pam.

* * *

><p>Once again the car passes by the pottery shop and he notices again that Pam looks at the building as she had before. He thinks she is once again gazing at a place she's never been to before. She isn't noticing the building, but instead is thinking about what Jim thinks of the date. So far from her point of view it is going really well but it's obvious the date is nearing a close and he hasn't mentioned a second date. He had said some incredible things at dinner, <em>but what if this is a case of finally getting what he couldn't have?<em> she thinks. She had seen this plenty of times with her sister and her friends. The guy can't have the girl, but when he finally can he gets bored and moves on. There is no chase or excitement anymore. While she knows Jim isn't that type of guy, the thought keeps pestering her. Her thoughts are broken when the car is in the turn lane which is in the opposite direction of her apartment.

She asks where he is going as when he suddenly switches his turn signal on, but he just smiles at her. It's a smile she's never seen before which is quite the accomplishment. Unfortunately she says this out loud instead of it remaining as inner dialogue. He chuckles and looks over at her slowly turning eight kinds of red.

"This is my smile for you Beesley," he answers as if it were the most natural thing in the world. She mutters something that he can't hear and he laughs harder while making a U-turn. Looking around bewildered she wonders what on Earth could be making him U-turn at a busy intersection. When Jim eventually parks she gets her answer. He parks outside of the pottery painting place and he can tell he's done the right thing when he sees Pam's smile.

"I've always wanted to go here," she begins to explain, but hesitates and doesn't finish the sentence. There's no need to really, they both know the reason she never went was Roy. She doesn't need to explain that Roy found painting useless for the most part and actively discouraged it. Her face drops a bit, remembering some of the more hurtful statements he had said to her. Jim takes her hand.

"Well when we walk through the door you wouldn't be able to say that anymore. We can say _we've_ been here." She nods and leads the way into the shop. There are a few people inside, but for the most part they have the place to themselves. An employee explains that they need to pick a piece to paint, and then go to the tables on the opposite side of the store where paint would be provided for them to paint the piece with. Once they were done they would take the piece back up front for them to ring it up. Thanking the employee they walk across the room to look at the various pieces lined up on shelves against the wall. Jim feels a little overwhelmed at the amount of options from piggy banks to coffee mugs and from plates to tooth fairy boxes. He's clearly undecided, but Pam quickly picks up a plate with a clear idea of what she wants to paint. He raises an eyebrow at her choice, expecting her to pick a coffee cup, but she just says to wait and see. Eventually he settles on a bowl which intrigues Pam who in an ironic twist was sure he would be the one to pick a coffee cup.

They pick a table to paint at and Pam becomes quite protective of her design. He keeps trying to use his height to peer above her but she knows him too well and maneuvers out of the way. Laughing she picks up the plate and moves to another table, giving him a grin. He is tempted to question her but lets her be. They once again return to their respective painting until she gets up from her seat and takes a deliberately long route around Jim to turn in her plate. Seeing her turn over her credit card to the cashier he's somewhat frustrated. Not only did he want to see what she painted, but it doesn't sit well with him that she ends up paying for part of the date. His parents had raised him a gentleman after all.

When Pam tries to sit back at the table with him he instead instructs her to return to the other table. She looks at him stunned until he explains that since her plate is a secret so will his bowl. Rolling her eyes at him she moves to the other table and then proceeds to take careful note to the colors he uses to help piece together what the design is. After about ten minutes he takes the same route she had used to the register and joins her at the table.

"So we can pick these up tomorrow anytime after three." He reads aloud off the pick off slip. "You want to pick them up tomorrow after work?" he offers.

"Yeah," she replies. _He wants to see me tomorrow_ she thinks with a giddy feeling in her heart.

"What?" he asks once he sees her happiness. She tries to shake her head and distract him into another conversation topic but he's persistent.

"I'm just glad you want to see me again." she admits and wants to slap herself over the head for saying that aloud. _I sound like some desperate girl_ she criticizes herself. He gives her a look that says he's shocked by her statement.

"You think I didn't I wanted to see you again?"

"I don't know." she says. "You've waited so long for this date, that maybe, once the chase is over...you wouldn't be still interested in me that way." He wants to laugh at the absurdity but doesn't laugh knowing that this is a honest fear of hers.

"Trust me Beesley now that I've got you I'm not letting go anytime soon."

* * *

><p>Pulling up once again into the gravel lot she notices that she doesn't want to leave the car. She would follow Jim anywhere and the thought scares her a little. With Roy she lost so much of herself in the relationship and it had taken so long for her to realize that. There were so many hard moments where she would look herself in the mirror, so unhappy and frustrated, and didn't know how this person had come to take over her body. The scariest fact was that she had <em>allowed<em> that person to take over. She feels danger because she wants to be swept off her feet, but on her terms. The danger seems to be soothed when she looks at Jim and she remembers he loved her with her sweater sets as much as he did with her wearing this dress.

"I had a great time," he admits after they climb up the stairs to her apartment.

"Me too." She says and suddenly feels shy realizing she truly means it. It never felt this way with Roy ever. This must be what people talk about when they mention butterflies. Unable to meet his eyes she looks down at the wood flooring of the porch until he uses a finger to tip her chin up.

It's a soft and undemanding kiss, as if they've never kissed before when they know that fact isn't true. He's careful, knowing he doesn't want to mess up this second chance. A few moments later they break apart and there's a feeling of peace between one another. The spark is still there and they realize that this relationship is going to be big. Then a thought comes to her,

"What are we going to do about tomorrow?" he looks at her puzzled, "The Office." She clarifies and he understands.

"Well it's up to you; do you want to tell them we're dating?" No, she instantly thinks. A smile lights up her face at him using the word dating. It would be a mistake to let Michael know for obvious reasons, and secretly she likes that this could be just theirs. It could a piece that didn't involve the office or the cameras, but was just her and him.

"No," she says, "Unless you want to." She offers and he laughs.

"No, I don't even want to think about what ceremony Michael would come up with to commemorate it with."

"Dwight would probably give you a lecture on how you should use some bear romance technique." She responds and he snaps his fingers as if to say 'Gosh darn it, missed that lesson' along with a classic Jim face. Laughing she looks up at him. "I like you." They both know what the real meaning is, but it's too early to utter anything deeper.

"I like you too Beesley."

When she walks into to her apartment she has to look at the pottery pick up slip to realize that the entire night wasn't a dream. Setting the slip on the kitchen counter so she wouldn't forget it she smiles as she sees her phone light up with Jim's caller ID.


	4. You Seem Quite Right For a Boy Like Me

**Author's Note:** Hey everyone! Welcome back to the story! I know, I am way overdue for an update, but life got crazy. The end of summer got jam packed with me moving and then I had a death in the family so I was out of town sorting out things. Have no fear, I'm back!

Thank you for all the kind reviews last chapter received and all the favorites and story alerts! Wow! I appreciate each and every one of them! Keep them coming!

As always if there are any errors, my apologies.

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><p><strong>Disclaimer:<strong> I don't own anything even remotely related to The Office, Ricky Gervais and NBC owns it all and all of its respective companies. If I did Creed would have a whole episode about him because I think he is insane, yet awesome. Besides I have my own Jim anyway :)

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><p><em>"I don't really know Ronnie. But I have a feeling I will get to know her very well over the next few years. And eventually declare my love for her" - Jim Halpert, Weight Loss<em>

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><p>When Pam wakes up the next morning she feels oddly content. She is puzzled at this feeling, having not felt it in quite some time. There usually was something stressful with Roy or with money to think about. As of late her worry had contained Karen and Jim and her new found future with single-hood. Looking at her alarm clock she realizes she has woken up a good fifteen minutes earlier than usual. Most mornings her alarm clock would blare music until she found the energy to shut it off. It was a solid nights sleep all and all. She feels like she can tackle the day which also surprises her. Closing her eyes, she wants to hang onto this feeling longer: a mix between being content and still half asleep.<p>

Before she knows it, the alarm clock starts to blare with music and she quickly shuts it off. Groaning she almost considers calling in sick at the office. It's the first time in a long time she can remember feeling great instead of exhausted, and she certainly has enough sick days piled up.

Her cell phone starts to buzz and after a couple attempts through half closed eyes, she grabs if off of her bedside table. _It's probably Michael_ she guesses. _He probably wants me to pick up something weird_. Giving Michael her cell phone number was a bad decision, she had known that at the time, but he had threatened that if he couldn't call her he would have no option but to _drive_ to her place. She had obviously picked the lesser of the two evils.

Instead she sees it is a text from Jim and then the reason for her good mood suddenly hits her. In a flood of memories she is no longer half asleep, but fully awake. She remembers last night and a goofy grin spreads across her face. It had actually happened! The food and the painting and the kiss! It was all real. He was hers and she was his. Finally.

_Come to work early?_

He could've asked her to wear a chicken suit in that moment and she would've complied.

_Yeah, how early?_

Thankfully he only said to arrive thirty minutes early. Any earlier and she would've started started to panic. She starts her morning routine with an extra spring in her step, and wonders what Jim has in store.

* * *

><p>Creed Bratton is holed up in the trunk of his car. This isn't too unusual for him. Usually he spends a great deal of his day in his car because it is the one of the few places he feels safe. He knows the feds could be spying on him at this instant and he will not go to jail again. No sir, it took him a long long time to break out of the jail and it has taken him a long <em>long<em> time to build up this identity as a creditable one. He will do whatever it takes to not be caught. So if there is no suspicious video evidence then there can be no investigation. No investigation means no trail. He turns on a flashlight and begins his absolutely illegal preparations for what he will sell later that night.

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><p>The camera crews are taking down their cameras for the summer, finally. Thank God is the collective consensus from everyone. All they need to do is pack up their cameras into the vans and they don't have to come back to this office for three glorious months. No more running to catch up with Michael and no more making sure every character gets properly documented. No more convincing Creed that, in fact they weren't the FBI watching him. All the footage was packed and ready for delivery to the editing room. Then these people are their problems!<p>

Tying down the last camera in the trunk of a van everyone gives each other high fives. They begin to make plans of getting a beer all together later that night and discuss what they'll be doing with so much free time on their hands.

In the next minute, on the dot, Angela parks her car in her usual spot as she always has. She glares at the cameramen congratulating each other and then continues on her way into the building. This isn't new to the camera crew. She always does this and they have come to ignore it. They also ignore the banging noises coming Creed's car.

Dwight arrives five minutes later. He barely notices the camera crew now after so many years, and his thoughts are preoccupied with his Monkey. Dinner had gone flawlessly last night. _Obviously._ What option was there? By the end of the night they had ended up entangled on the floor of his barn. The thought brings a brief smile to his lips. She had left before he had woken up, something she knew drove him mad. Although he admired that she could play games with him as well as he did with her. There was plenty of time before his co-workers showed up so he was planning to get revenge, the best kind possible, with his minx.

Based on the look on Dwight's face the camera crew are glad they don't have to film anymore.

* * *

><p>Jim stands next to his car which is parked in the spot farthest from the camera crew. The last thing he needs is for them to catch wind of what is going on or get video evidence of it to be used in an interrogation in the fall.<p>

Pam pulls into the parking lot and notices the camera crew packing up. A sigh of relief passes through her lips. Starting a relationship is hard enough, but at least they wouldn't have the added pressure of the cameras stalking them. She prays they don't take too much notice of Jim and her coming in earlier than usual to work.

She parks in a spot close to Jim's, but not too close to raise any questions. Flipping her visor mirror open she sighs at her appearance. Her clothes are back to being boring until she could find the time to go to the mall. No make up is on her face either, for fear that if she wore some it would attract unwanted questions and comments from the rest of the office. Despite the knowledge that Jim has seen her this way for years and found her just as attractive then, she still feels a little disappointment that she couldn't dress up for him.

Looking out of her car's back window she makes eye contact with Jim. He carefully motions for her to follow him after a decent amount of time has passed. She nods in understanding and makes herself look busy in the car. After a few minutes she makes sure the coast is clear, exits out of her car, and follows Jim.

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><p>A camera crew member notices the two heading in the same area within ten minutes of each other and finds it strange. It is one thing for Jim to be in early, maybe he wanted to make a good impression while coming back to work. It is one thing else entirely for Pam to be there this early. She usually doesn't show up until at least fifteen minutes later than the time it is now. There is no reason for her to be early as she doesn't have any paperwork or sales to worry about. This sparks his interest. He quickly shares what he has seen to the other crew members.<p>

* * *

><p>Jim stands against one of the side walls of the building and grins when he catches sight of Pam.<p>

"Hi," she says with a smile of her own.

"Hi," he returns and she surprises herself by pulling him in for a kiss.

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><p>A million questions erupt from the crew with the information of Jim and Pam both heading in the same direction within minutes of each other. The twosome are the only mildly interesting thing to film about the office after all. Were they dating? Were they planning a prank on Dwight? Are they breaking the law? Are they blowing this out of proportion? They all instantly regret packing up all the camera equipment so quickly now. None of them would know any answers until the fall.<p>

That is...unless...they could get someone in the office to report to them.

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><p>When they pull away Pam feels her cheeks turning pink at her boldness. Jim only smiles and takes her hand to lead her to a bench behind him. She asks what he is doing but then notices a bag and two cups of coffee on the bench.<p>

"You brought breakfast?" she asks him in shock. No one had ever brought her breakfast before besides maybe her parents.

"Don't look so shocked, Beesley. Absolutely I would." He hands her one of the coffee cups and lets her peek inside the bag. "I didn't know what you'd be in the mood for so there's cinnamon rolls, bagels, muffins, and doughnuts." She finds herself speechless at his thoughtfulness. Anytime Roy felt inclined to bring lunch she didn't have much of an option, forced to eat whatever Roy had picked. Gingerly she picks out a cinnamon roll.

"Thank you." she says and kisses his cheek. He takes out a muffin and they begin their breakfast together.

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><p>The camera crew all go over the potential people to employ with this task. Toby was out because, well, he was Toby. Kelly would blab their plan to everyone. Angela and Dwight were just...no, not an option. Oscar would lecture them about how he it wasn't his job to poke into other people's business. Meredith was too drunk and Creed was too weird. Stanley wouldn't care and Andy didn't know how to have discretion. There's absolutely no way they'd ask Michael. In the end Kevin and Phyllis are the only viable options. To be fair they would wait to see who would come to work first and pick that person as their informant.<p>

They didn't have to wait long.

Kevin Malone is a simple man, but he was about to receive a complicated task.


End file.
